Charles forbes



No.. 624,005. Patented May 2, I899;

C. FUBBES.

CHALICE HOLDER.

(Applicafion filed Mat. 27, 1897.)

(No Model.)

A AOA I 3;

IIW MW UNITED STATES CHARLES FORBES, OF ROCHESTER,

PATENT OEErcE.

NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE OF SAME PLACE.

CHALICE-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 624,005, dated May 2, 1899.

Application filed March 27,1897. Serial No. 629,496. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that LCHAELEs FORBES, acitizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city of Rochester, in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Chalice-Holders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to sanitary communion outfits comprising individual cups or chalices; and the present invention consists in an improved chalice-holder of tray form and a stack of such trays combined with a top cover for the uppermost tier of chalices, cach tray above the lowermost forming a dustexcluding cover for the chalices immediately under it.

The invention further includes certain novel features of construction or combinations of parts whereby, respectively, the individual trays are adapted to be conveniently and safely carried in the hand in administen in g the communion, and the trays are securely supported one above another in the stack without resting upon the chalices beneath and with symmetry, the trays being so stacked in order to exclude dust from the chalices be fore and after they are filled until the moment when they are passed to the communicants and at the same time to economize space on the altar or communion-table.

v A sheet of drawings accompanies this specification as part thereof.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a top View of a chalice-holding tray constructed according to this invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same supplied with one form of chalices. Fig. 3 is an elevation of a stack of such trays. Fig. 4: represents a section at 4, Fig. l, on a larger scale. Fig. 5 is a top view of one of the improved trays adapted for a different form of chalice; and Fig. 6 is an elevation of the modified tray, Fig. 5, filled with chalices.

Like letters and numbers refer to like parts in all the figures.

Both the improved trays A and B and a top cover O, appropriate to either, are preferably of the oval shape indicated in Figs. 1 and 5, and each of the trays is constructed with a raised chalice-holding panel 7, substantially diamond -shaped, accommodating holes 7?. or pins 1) to locate and steady the chalicesin uniform rows parallel to each other and symmetrically disposed, as in said Figs. 1 and 5. The panels 7 extend at their corners to points near or substantially at the perimeters of the trays, so as to have as large a capacity as is practicable, said corners being preferably rounded, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. Relatively thin grasping portions 8, adapted to be held between the thumb and fingers, extend outward to the perimeter of the oval at the sides of each panel 7, being formed with parallel upper and lower surfaces, as shown at S in Fig. at, and these portions are provided with legs 9 and upwardly-projecting pins 10 in line with said legs, these parts having several important functions. When a tray is carried in the hand, the forefinger of the hand which grasps one of the portions 8 naturally engages with the leg 9 and the thumb of the same hand with the pin 10 at that point, so as to preclude the accidental escape of the tray from the grasp. Then a tray is put down singly or is the lowermost in a stack, Fig. 3, the legs 9 support the tray and its load in an ordinary manner. In the stack the legs being hollow, as in Fig. 4, rest upon and embrace the upper ends of the pins 10, so as to interlock the successive trays with each other against lateral displacement,as well as to keep the elevated trays from resting on the chalices. In order to support the top cover O in like manner, it is likewise provided with hollow legs 9 to coact with the pins 10 of the uppermost tray. A central knob 11 provides for conveniently handling the top cover 0 and as a finial.

The legs 9 and pins 10 are conveniently and preferably constructed and combined with each other and with the trays A and B in the manner illustrated by Fig. 4. The grasping portion 8 is provided with a vertical hole 12, fitted to a contracted shank 13 of the pin 10, which has a shoulder 14 to rest upon the top of the tray and a screw-threaded lower end 15, to which an internal screw-thread in the leg 9 is fitted. is flaring, so as to readily engage with the upper end of the coacting pin in the stack, and the pin and leg are so shaped and rounded The main cavity 16 of the leg 7.

externally as to adapt them to be grasped in the manner above described in handling the trays.

The legs 9, Fig. 3, of the top cover C may be identical with those of the trays A and B and attached in like manner by screws 17, corresponding with the screw portions of the pins 10.

'lhe chalices shown at 1 in Figs. 2 and 3 are small tumbler-slmped glasses the bottoms of which fit into the holes h of the trays A. Those shown at 2 in Fig. 6 are of metal and goblet-shaped, with holes in their feet and stems fitted to the pins 10 of the tray B. The legs 9 and pins 10 of the tray B, either or both, may be elongated as compared with those of the trays A to provide the necessary space between successive trays and between the topmost tray and the top cover 0 in the stack.

The trays A and B may be of greater or less capacity as to the nu mberof chalices carried by cael1,and,together with the top cover O,may be modified as to shape. For an efieet similar to that produced by the oval outline in connection with the diamond-shaped chalice-holdingpanelsthe trays and top cover may, for example, be round, and the panels square. As regards the functions of the grasping portions 8 the panels may have the shape of any figure having several sides, (three or more,) and as regards the legs 9 and pins 10, more broadly considered, the trays and top cover may be even square or oblong in shape.

The trays and top cover shown in the drawings are made of wood, excepting the pins 10; but other materials may be used, and other like modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described the said improvement, I claim as my invention and desire to patent under this specification-- 1. A chalice-holding tray having grasping portions provided with legs, and upwardlyprojecting pins above and in line with the legs, said grasping portions being adapted to be held between the thumb and fingers with the forefinger engaging one of said legs and the thumb the superjacent pin, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

2. In a chalice-holding tray, the combination with a grasping portion having a vertical, hole of an upwardly-projecting pin having a shoulder to rest upon the top of said portion, and a screw-threaded lower end extending through said hole, and a hollow leg having an internal screw-thread at top to coact with said lower end of said pin to interlock the parts, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

3. A stack of chalice-holders composed of trays having chalice-holding devices at top and forming dust-excluding covers above the chalices next below, and provided with 1101- low legs and upwardly-projecting pins in line with said legs to support the successive trays and their loads, and a top cover having like legs, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

CHARLES FORBES.

Witnesses:

EDWARD WEBSTER, Rov C. WEBsTER. 

